Canteens

Canteens in NSIT

1. Zayca

Zayca is the foremost of all cafes in NSIT. It’s situated near the library block and was established recently in 2011 by Zayca Catering Services. It’s managed by Suresh Yadav and assisting him is a staff of around 8 hardworking people. Zayca is definitely THE place you’d be bound to visit if you’re famished and want a proper meal. Its menu is definitely diverse & fulfilling in all possible ways. Chane bhature, samosas, omelettes, tandoori chicken, maggi & dosas are light delicacies that manage to steal your glance and are slightly lighter on the pocket. Joining them are chicken tikka rolls, kadhai paneer, shahi paneer, dal makhani, butter chicken (yes, we’re not kidding) on the heavy side. The Chinese side to the menu is well accounted for as well. Spring rolls, veg/chicken noodles, fried rice, veg manchurian, chilli chicken and chilli potatoes add that extra bit of oriental flavour. Now you can probably imagine why Zayca is the most reputed & frequent name heard in the corridors of NSIT. It acts as a source of celebration during birthdays, when your best friend’s pockets are emptied onto the Zayca billing desk using coercion of the highest degree. First year students find a source of restitution in the dining hall of Zayca as well, when strenuous manual labor in the nearby workshop causes intense starvation. Well-earned sustenance to reinforce those tired little bones!

2. Mini Zayca

Mini Zayca was a cafe established in 2012 by Sunder Singh Rawat after Nescafe bid adieu to NSIT. It is situated to the left of the admin block (if you’re facing it!) and right across the road dwells Khan Fruit Chaat Waala (he’s revered for his wisdom) and the Nescii lawns. Rightly named, it’s a smaller version of Zayca, the kingpin of all cafes in NSIT. Of course you can’t expect full course menus in Mini Zayca (the name’s a giveaway as to why) but if you’re looking for a small bite, this is definitely the place to be. It sells everything from samosas, patties & chips to slightly bigger treats like spring rolls, maggi, fries, chilli potatoes, noodles, pastries & chicken rolls. Salivating already? Well, we don’t blame you. Adding to this, the sweet Mini Zayca guys are more than willing to hand over a Yamama if they don’t have 5 bucks change. We don’t really mind it either, considering those scrumptious chocolaty mini-cakes do well to satiate your need for something sweet. The Nescii lawns provide more than a comfortable spot to scavenge through the Mini Zayca food while you bask in the sun.

3. Mic Mac

Rest in peace, O’ Mic Mac. Yes, this cafe is no longer a part of NSIT due to unavoidable & unspeakable circumstances (top secret!). We’ll still let you in on its history though. Once situated to the right of the admin block, it was more or less a sister cafe of Mini Zayca, even in terms of it’s menu. In addition, it sold delicious kathi rolls. We all miss them very dearly!

4. McCain

McCain, the canteen located in the forested area opposite BH2 and BH3 probably has the best food in all of NSIT and this can be gauged from the fact that it is the most frequented canteen in the college. It started by selling McCain’s frozen products like French Fries, Smiles, Hash Browns etc and hence the name. But now it has diversified into selling all the usual canteen stuff. Samosas, Patties, Dosa, Chowmein, Burger, Pav Bhaji , Cholley Bhature and Sandwiches. After gorging on the Garlic Bread, Cholley Bhature, the newly introduced Parathas and the Dosa which are the must haves at McCain, you could end your meal with the delicious Chocolate Pudding. To quench your thirst McCain offers all varieties of popular soft drinks like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Fanta along with indigenous ones such as Jeera Soda. This canteen also has a Coffee Day coffee vending machine, though doubts prevail whether they actually use their coffee powder. This canteen is a boon for the hostelers, seeking respite from the terrible mess food, being located close to the boys hostel and also since it stays open till late.

5. Just Cafe

Just Cafeteria, the newest canteen in the NSIT campus is located just opposite McCain , near the boys’ hostels. Just Cafeteria though, doesn’t draw much crowd. The food here is nothing to boast about and is pretty mediocre on the taste front. The popular items in the menu include the Stuffed Parathas, Vada Pav , Pasta and Chowmein. Being close to the boys’ hostels, Just Cafeteria is frequented by hostelers looking to spare themselves the horrors of the mess food. They also offer free delivery of food to the hostel. A meal at Just Cafeteria is the lightest on the pocket since this is the most reasonably priced canteen in the campus. There are some concerns regarding the hygiene maintained by the Just Cafeteria staff, since stray dogs can be seen roaming around the kitchen and also the general hygiene of the canteen is poor.